Township of Bristol, PA Property Maintenance

A certain document, three copies of which are on file in the Office of Licenses and Inspections of the Township of Bristol, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, being marked and designated as the 2021 International Property Maintenance Code and all future and subsequent publications, as published by the International Code Council, Inc., be and hereby is adopted as the code of Bristol Township, County of Bucks, Pennsylvania; for the control of buildings and structures as herein provided; and each and all of the regulations, provisions, penalties, conditions and terms of such International Property Maintenance Code, 2021, and all future and subsequent publications, are hereby referred to, adopted, and made part hereof, as if fully set out in this article, with the additions, insertions, deletions and changes, if any prescribed in § 150-2.

§ 150-2 Additions, insertions and changes.

[Amended 5-20-2021 by Ord. No. 2021-03]

The following sections of International Property Maintenance Code, 2000, are hereby revised as follows:

Section 101.1 is revised to read as follows:

Section 101.1 Title. These regulations shall be known as the Property Maintenance Code of the Township of Bristol, hereinafter referred to as "this Code."

Section 103.6 is revised to read as follows:

Section 103.6 Fees. A schedule of fees for activities and services performed by the department in carrying out its responsibilities under this code is available in the Office of Licenses and Inspections. Changes to the schedule of fees shall be fixed through adoption of a resolution of Council.

Section 106.3 is revised to read as follows:

Section 106.3. Penalty for violation. Any person who shall violate a provision of this code shall, upon conviction thereof, be subject to a fine of not more than $1,000 or imprisonment for a term not to exceed 30 days, or both, at the discretion of the court. Each day that a violation continues after due notice has been served shall be deemed a separate offense.

Section 302.8 is revised by the addition of 302.8.1:

Section 302.8.1. Parking of MOTOR/RECREATIONAL vehicles.

All MOTOR/RECREATIONAL vehicles stored on the property must be properly registered, inspected, and insured. MOTOR/RECREATIONAL vehicles shall be parked on a premise’s driveway; except as follows: a single family detached dwelling or two family dwelling (as defined in the Zoning Ordinance) is permitted to install a second or separate off-street parking area to park recreational vehicles so long as the second parking area is not located within any right-of-way and at least three feet from side and rear property lines if parked in the rear yard. The surface of the second parking area can be paved or constructed with crushed stone and must be a large enough to accommodate any area of the recreational vehicle that is in contact with the ground.

For the purposes of fire safety, a minimum of six feet separation distance from the home/structure to any recreation vehicles parked directly between two houses.

An existing paved driveway may be extended with a gravel or stone addition for the storage of currently inspected and insured motor vehicles. All motor vehicles and recreational vehicles stored on the property shall be in a state of good repair and appearance.

For the purposes of this Section, the term recreational vehicle shall include motor homes, truck-mounted campers, travel trailers, folding tent campers, motor vehicles adapted for vacation, residential or recreational use, snowmobiles, minibikes, go-karts, boats, boat trailers and utility trailers.

Vehicles shall not be used for living facilities, storage nor for a commercial purpose.

Section 303.14 is revised to read as follows:

Section 303.14. Insect screens. During the period from May 30 to September 1, every door window and other outside opening required for ventilation of habitable rooms, food preparation areas, food service areas, or any areas where products to be included or utilized in food for human consumption are processed, manufactured, packaged or stored, shall be supplied with approved tightly fitting screens of not less than 16 mesh per inch, and every swinging door shall have a self-closing device in good working condition.

Section 602.3 is revised to read as follows:

602.3 Heat supply. Every owner and operator of any building who rents, leases or lets one or more dwelling unit, rooming unit, dormitory or guest room on terms, either express or implied, to furnish heat to the occupants thereof shall supply heat during the period from October 15 to May 15 to maintain a temperature of not less than 65° F. in all habitable rooms, bathrooms and toilet rooms.

Section 602.4 is revised to read as follows:

602.4 Occupiable work space. Indoor occupiable work spaces shall be supplied with· heat during the period from May 15 to October 15 to maintain a temperature of not less than 65° F. during the period the spaces are occupied.

Article II Storage of Wood and Building Materials

[Adopted 6-16-1998 by Ord. No. 98-10]

§ 150-3 Word usage and definitions.

When not inconsistent with the context, words in the present tense include the future; words in the plural number include the singular number; and words in the singular number include the plural number. The word “shall” is always mandatory and not merely directory.

Definitions. For the purposes of this chapter, the following terms, phrases, words and their derivations shall have the meanings given herein.

BUILDING MATERIAL

Any material used in construction, repairs and alterations.

ERADICATION

The elimination of rodents, insects and other pests by means not harmful to the public health, safety and welfare.

FIREWOOD

Wood used for fuel or decorative burning in a fireplace or stove.

HARBORAGE

Any condition which provides shelter or protection for rodents, insects and other pests.

LUMBER

Boards, planks and any tree products.

PERSON

Any person, firm, partnership, association, corporation, company or organization of any kind.

PRIVATE PREMISES

Any lot, dwelling, house, building or other structure designed or used either wholly or in part for residential, commercial or industrial purposes, whether inhabited or uninhabited or vacant, and shall include any lands adjacent thereto under common ownership as that of the ownership of the structure.

§ 150-4 Storage requirements.

Any person wishing to store firewood, lumber and/or building materials upon his or her private premises shall do so according to the following requirements:

Said storage shall be kept stacked, reasonably secure and shall be stacked in a stabilized, structurally sound manner so as not to present a risk of harm that it will collapse or move suddenly or spontaneously.

The height of any storage shall not be less than 18 inches above the ground and shall not exceed five feet from the ground.

The area for any storage shall be no closer than three feet to the property line or lines with any adjacent lands not of common ownership. Further, said storage area shall not be established or placed in the front yard or on the front porch of the private premises.

The maximum amount of firewood on site that may be stored at any time is three cords.

No storage shall be carried out in such a manner as to provide harborage for rodents, insects or other pests.

This chapter does not apply to the inside storage of firewood within a permanent structure.

§ 150-5 Inspection; notice of violation.

If, after inspection by the Code Enforcement Officer, it is determined that there is a violation of this chapter, the person who owns, occupies or is in control of the private premises shall be given written notice by personal service or certified mail, return receipt requested, by the Code Enforcement Officer that said person is in violation of this chapter.

Within 10 days after being notified of a violation of this chapter, the person notified shall make the necessary changes in the storage of firewood, lumber and/or building material as are necessary to eliminate the violation of this chapter and shall further take necessary eradication measures in order to eliminate or exterminate the rodents, insects and other pests and remove harborage for the same.

§ 150-6 Violations and penalties.

Any person who shall violate, fail, neglect or refuse to comply with any provision of this chapter, shall, upon conviction be sentenced to pay a fine not in excess of $1,000 and costs. Each day that a violation of this chapter continues shall be considered a separate offense.